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The Best and Worst of 2017

So this year I've decided I'd do a little more... I dunno... work on keeping track of crap. Either way, here's some comics to talk about from 2017. I'm gonna go with some categories with top 5's in no particular orders.

But first...

/\ 2017 in Retrospect /\

2017 for comics was one filled to the brim with attempts, failures, successes, controversy, and surprises for the comics industry. From Captain America's "Hail Hydra" heard 'round the world to people finally getting fired from an industry they long ago should have been fired from. Sales wise the comic industry is down over last year, as it usually is year to year anymore in a swirling industry, though profit was up. DC saw the biggest tumble as its Rebirth fueled rise last year lost some of the oomph and has settled into higher than before, but lesser than wanted numbers. Marvel once again reclaimed the "crown" of sales this year despite losing sales. Image picked up ground though sales were sort of down for them as well. This year was also mired in problems ranging from the legal to the outspoken. Gerard Jones, Eisner Winner who wrote Men of Tomorrow, did translations for Dragonball and Pokemon, wrote some Hulk, did some Ultraforce, among many others was arrested for possession and uploading child pornography. Former Marvel artist Ardian Syaf was fired for putting in controversial messages seen as anti-semetic in X-Men: Gold. And most notably, Eddie Berganza was fired after at least a decade of sexual harassment and abuse charges levied against him (rumor was women weren't to be hired into his offices so he wouldn't harass them.)

This year also saw shakeups in the industry for stories, with DC continuing the Rebirth line and going for a multiverse angle (again), and Marvel attempting something like DC's Rebirth by reaching for legacy with...Legacy and Generations. On both sides we saw an attempt to push characters into their own worlds again while still trying to show they still matter to all parts of their respective universes, even launching comics for individual characters who are fan favorites. It was also the year the arguably most notable non "Big Two" superhero comic announced it was going to end: Invincible by Robert Kirkman. And while it's final issue is actually in January of 2018, the last issues of this year have spent quite a bit of time wrapping everything up. In many ways, this year felt like a closing era for much of the comic industry as Marvel has begun to re-embrace the mutant franchise (which makes sense now since Disney bought 20th Century Fox), DC is trying its best to make sure their comics stay on the edge of storytelling, and Image has now entered the zone and truly can claim to be part of the "Big Three," even if it doesn't do a lot of superhero fare.

But it's important to realize that every year has something like these things going on. Imprints trying to go bigger, comic companies trying to change how they do business, artists sneaking in things they shouldn't, writers and artists getting busted (or at least accused) of doing things they should be probably litigated for. 2017 was no different, but it does feel like 2018 promises to be a different year for comics in general. So without further ado, let's take a look at what we're really here for:

/\ Best Comic Runs of the Year /\
Superhero Fare

- Super Sons -

Super Sons is the spin off comic from Superman, Action Comics, Batman, and Detective Comics about the sons of Superman and Batman. Starring Jon Kent as Superboy and Damian Wayne as Robin, these two perfectly encapsulate not only the personalities we would believe should come from spawns of great heroes, but the true fun and adventure this comic should be. Always fun, always well paced, and even when there's danger these two don't devolve into a punch-em-up to resolve a story. There's always the pull between the honest and borderline lenient and the cynical and ready to strike hardline, this series always delivers on every front. And it blends the action of what should be a kid's comic and an adult's comic so well that you forget you're reading about two kids doing their parent's job. The humor hits so damn well, and the brotherhood these two grow into is so damn heartwarming that it really almost took top spot.

- Iceman -

Every once in the while a company will put out an individual book with the intention of highlighting that character's life. I say once in the while, but it happens pretty often. I should say every once in the while a company puts out a book about a single character and does it so well and right. Bobby Drake, the Iceman, is a storied and complex character in the X-Men mythos that often gets overlooked as a character because people tend to just focus on his power. And that's fair, I guess, but really does the whole guy a disservice because there's so much to pull from him. Thankfully this series doesn't just focus on what Bobby can do, and focuses more on who Bobby is. The fun-loving, self-doubting voice of what's cool for a teenager acted out by a 20-something is something Bobby always was, and this series does a great job in not only highlighting these things, but digging a little deeper to flesh out why he is that way. Is it an act? Is it just who he is? Is it something in between? The questions of self-identity and interpersonal relationships are a huge part of this comic while still maintaining a very superhero thematic feel to it. And damn if it didn't pull at the old nostalgia by drawing out the original Champions.

- Green Lanterns -

So what if I told you there was a book about Green Lanterns... well two books... But the one about Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner wasn't the best one? You'd hang me in town square, but I'll risk it because it's true in this case. The book about Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz has proven to be one of the most interesting buddy cop runs of Green Lantern books in some time. While the melodrama playing out in space is all well trodden, the drama of these two is fresh and great... And dammit, I really just put this here because of Cruz's ring alone. That thing deserves it's own editorial column to answer fan questions. Either way, the storylines here hit close to home in a familiar and personal way about family and self-doubt (even if that doubt is actually clinical anxiety), and our responsibilities not only to our personal lives but how we rise up to meet the challenge of lives beyond that. These two "fresh" GL's do it justice. From a man who cannot outrun his past arrest and social stigma of being Muslim, to a woman who is doing her best to understand her inner strength to overcome the crushing darkness of her own fears, this series just puts a smile on my face. I also really loved the whole Volthoom/Original Seven storyline. No spoilers here, I just recommend you read this one.

- Avengers -

Bomb me up as a Marvel Zombie, but this subdued team book tickled my fancy. Much like the next selection, this book handled a team's dynamic well within the framework of an action piece. Finishing up the starting arc with Kang, doing a little mid series bump, and finishing the year with World's Collide, this series was a good lineup doubled with tremendously strong characterizing moments with just some bizarre fun and WONDERFUL art by Del Mundo in the earliest issues. Mysteries were deepened, rivalries were formed, and oddities popped up. The thrills were high and the chills were deep, and especially so when the Avengers teamed up with the Champions to take on the High Evolutionary. Especially in regards to Vision and Viv, his daughter. Waid knows how to gut punch someone hard, and he didn't pull back in this series one bit. Speaking of the Champions...

- New Super-Man -

A more clever and witty comic there definitely is, but one that doesn't work so quite as well. A comic that is more than happy to basically dive in and live with the "Chinese Knock-Off" concept, New Super-Man is a comic about a man named Kenan Kong who is selected to become the Super-Man of China by infusing him with the power of... Superman's Solar Flare. Continuing from last year, this comic has decided to not only keep to the idea of China basically ripping off the American Justice League, but create a mythos that both reflects concepts of said American Justice League and deepens a unique aspect of their own. From their Wonder-Woman of China being mystical in a very different way to the Bat-Man of China coming from a school of "Robins" that pounded him into his role. They even get a Flash of China who is the only pre-established character. This series is a lot of fun and does a lot to reflect not only the themes we see in heroic characters and how they can apply to anybody, but a unique look at culture and earlier American comics portrayal of other cultures and how that might affect feelings down the line. I really -really- didn't want this comic on my top 5 since it spent the last two issues hammering on and on and Superman and magic, but I can't deny this was one of my favorite series to read for 2017. Where I feel the primary Superman title faltered a bit, I felt this one picked up.

/\ Best Comic Runs of the Year /\Non-Superhero Fare

- Descender -

It was one of the big ones last year, and this year is no exception. A truly masterful work of sci-fi and character exploration, Descender continues to delight me with its offbeat humor, tense situations, and just how well it talks about concepts of our own lives across the panel of a space drama. Themes of identity, belonging, loyalty, steadfastness, and other things fill the pages with a whimsical and delightful art style that is not only unique but a pleasure to read. Like a nice wash for your eyes. The designs of the robots, the aliens, and the spaceships? Delightful. The way certain themes hit you and payoffs of funny lines show a much deeper and painful meaning? It digs at your very soul. Lemire is a wonderful writer, having written arcs I loved in Old Man Logan, Moon Knight, and Animal Man, but this truly is his Mangum Opus. And every time I read it I love it a little more.

- Seven to Eternity -

An odd story about the concepts of individualism, self preservation, and values over generations isn't something I expected to discover this year. Not at all. Okay, maybe in a space story which this is. I just didn't expect to like it this much. Rick Remender crafts a tale about a dying man whose father taught him and his family to never accept a deal or ever give one nano meter on their own beliefs, the father eventually dying for them when the Big Bad comes looking. The son, dying himself, goes to kill the Big Bad in revenge but instead discovers a world much different than the one he last saw. Secluded from life for so long, he didn't know the extent of what had changed since he was a boy and now must face the decision: Hear the Big Bad's offer or continue on his revenge? It's a pretty fun tale with some pretty cool members of a rag tag group hell bent on destroying the Big Bad, but at the same time distrusting the dying son since he is from a family of perceived traitors. Freedom or fear? Which would you choose? To what extent does it matter? And would you be willing to die or kill for either one?

- Scooby Apocalypse -

In a world where humans were turned into monsters by some unknown virus, who is going to solve the mystery and save the day? The Scooby Gang of course. Just not as you remember them. TV personality Daphne Blake, her cameraman Fred, Velma the super scientist, and Shaggy the... stoner? I honestly don't remember his origin that much. Teamed up with a modified dog named Scooby Doo who can talk due to some technology, the gang drive around in a fortified van, the "Mystery Mobile," to survive the ruins of what once was humanity and try to discover the cause of these mutations and find a way to reverse it. The question is... Are some of them more involved than they let on? And even if they do discover what caused it, what can this motley crew do to fix it? A strong dose of characters fills the pages with creepy action and downright lovable designs and art. Everybody is unique here and they feel consistent with portrayal. There's very little wasted, and when it does feel like waste it's just escapism from its own story just to remind you of the context and potential nightmare they all live in. I, for one, love every minute of this read. I would hope you do too.

- Eclipse -

Ever wonder what life would be like if the sun was fatal to you? Well, the denizens of this world don't have to wonder. Their sun kills them if they come in contact with it. A humanity who suddenly is driven indoors and underground becoming nightdwellers, there's a serial killer on the loose and it's up to one man who used to be part of a maintenance unit who can wear suits to go up during the day. And it turns out to be pretty important since that's when the attacks seem to be happening. Oh, and the killer can walk in the sun for some reason. But that's not all. Political intrigue, corruption, conspiracy, oppression, choice, destiny, self-interest, and more all plays out in this comic and it's done so well. It reminded me a lot of Hadrian's Wall with the hard grit detective guy, which is something we see pop up from time to time and especially in indie comics. His job is to save the mayor's daughter from the serial killer, but what if she doesn't care or even believe it? What if her father's actions might have put her in the crosshair? That's what our protagonist needs to solve before he too is exposed to the sun and burned to a cinder.

- Uber: Invasion -

Kieron Gillen never has been one for apologies, and his followup to his successful "Uber" series is much the same. Set in the never before explored world of the Second World War (sarcasm, folks), Germans have figured out how to create "battleships," or humans with super modified powers. These battleships have laid waste to the allied forces, but this series deals with what the Allies have been cooking up when the Germans make landfall on American soil. What makes this good is the constant depression of the series and how disgusted but understanding we would be of human experimentation to keep evil at bay by conducting our own evil for patriotic means. What we'd be willing to do to survive and win, and how all heads in a foxhole are equal despite power. Russians, Japanese, Americans, British, and more come into play as everybody is now making "Tank Men," "Battleships," and lesser versions to try and stop the unstoppable war machine of Nazi Germany. Dialogue is witty, art is so sharp and graphic, and the pace is always breakneck when it should be and slower when it helps the story.

/\ Worst Series of the Year /\

I did my absolute best to make sure I didn't have a list and dug deep to try and find something I felt really encapsulated what can go wrong with comics this year. See, I'd love to just pick a comic that's clearly bad and go with it. That wouldn't be too hard, even if I can find a way to enjoy most comics. But one comic kept having me cringe in pain every time I read it no matter how often I tried my best to love it.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you:

- Justice League -

I hate to say it, but Justice League was the series I disliked most. Sure, there should've been a Deadpool series here, or JLA, or Suicide Squad, or something else. But this one was just so... bad. Mainly because it just suffered under Bryan Hitch's writer's pen (though not his art), and the screwed up break taken during Justice League vs Suicide Squad was bizarre and stupid, and when we got an issue not written by Hitch it showed us what the book could be. Instead, what we got was just a bunch of Bryan doing his best to get Barry to forget about Iris and hook up with Jessica, two characters who do not share this in their own comics, a LOT of time travel stuff that feels dead on delivery, forgettable enemies, and just a lot of drawn out nothingness to fill the pages. It was a series that should have been good and COULD have been good. That's the part that gets me. I see the idea there and it's not necessarily bad. It could have been wonderful and that's why I disliked it more than series I definitely should have disliked like Deadpool the Duck. THAT should've been occupying this spot with how horrible it was, but since that one was guaranteed to be awful I went with a series I felt should have been good and just was the worst.

/\ The Single Best Series of the Year /\

Some years comics are truly mediocre with just a few outstanding titles. Some years they have one good title against a year of poor titles and that's what earned them a spot. This year had a contender I'd file under: Some of the greatest comics a person can read in any given year.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I invite you to meet

- The Flintstones -

Much like Scooby Apocalypse, this is a series about humans at their core. And boy howdy is this my favorite series of the year. This comic was witty. This comic was so damn smart and funny and fun and ARGH! I cannot heap enough praise upon this comic. It had absolutely everything. Nostalgia, the fridge horror, headline stories, commentary about us, consumerism, Gazoo, fear, warmongering, a mall, religion, romance. Just so much was in this series and it was so damn fun. It ended in June, but I still carried this one with me all year long as the banner of what great comic storytelling can be. Meet the Flintstones who are truly a modern family set in the stone ages with all the concerns we have. Economy, keeping up with the Jones's, anxiety, hype, duping, duty, doubt, and any of the old negative emotions set against the backdrop of one of the sunniest and bustling towns made of rock. Corruption? You bet. Profiteering? You know it. Electing in a caveman? A little on the nose, but it fits since... well... It fits. And this comic does it all so damn well that I am filled with glee just talking about it. Seriously, this series nails characters in ways few comics ever hope to. You worry about the main characters, but you care for the things they leave behind. Including a gut wrenching story about their appliances. I'm not joking. I chocked up hard on that one so much. It's about camaraderie and loyalty, about reasoning and thinking, about eating and understanding. And every single issue is just so damn jam packed that they can each be talked about in full post form. Nothing I say here will do that series justice. 12 issues is all it lasted, but they will be some of the most well delivered 12 issues you will ever read if you enjoy a good comic and demand more than yelling and flashy explosions. The town of Bedrock is easily one of the most interesting places comics will take you in 2017, and it will be a series I will read and read again for many years to come. It is my fervent hope you all try it as well.

/\ Best Step Forward /\

I liked this last year so I'm gonna do it again this year. Here we go!

- Brian Bendis Leaves Marvel -

So I'm pretty torn about this one since I love DC, but I really hate Bendis. But I'm really happy Bendis is leaving Marvel since he's been the mastermind of some of the worst tripe Marvel has ever pumped out. Worst series of the year last year? Bendis' pen. Secret Invasion? Bendis. Jessica Jones? Bendis. Secret Avengers? Bendis. Fucked up Sorcerer Supreme? Bendis. The Hood becoming the Kingpin of Crime? Bendis. Building up an interesting idea and blowing up that bridge? Bendis. It is no secret I don't enjoy what he writes 99% of the time, but I'm optimistic. DC might put him on a tighter leash and let him develop ideas but not let him dictate them quite as much as Marvel did. I would love to see a humanizing touch Bendis would bring to Batman, a level Bendis works great at. But at the same time I'm worried about what Bendis can do. But Geoff is a pretty strict guy and given his positive and optimistic outlook, I don't think Bendis will be able to shit on continuity quite as easily or fuck up the canon with a single issue without punishment. At least I hope so. On the other hand Bendis seems to just get away with whatever since his name draws buys. But either way, Marvel is free from him and can resume more legacy focused stories without Bendis trying to shove his pet character into the middle of it in an inorganic and completely stupid way. Also, let's be honest: It was this or Eddie as the best step forward.

Not abuse of power. Moderation. Was this thread primed and invited for you to come and spam in? No? Then don't spam. You already had to be warned in a few other threads about off-topic behavior and spoiling, so don't make me keep you from the last two weeks of BC being SotM. One and only warning.

Action Comics, the Flash & Thanos would go in my best comics of the year category, while I'd make a new "Not Sure How I Should Feel About This Shit" category for the new Lucifer run

Completely agree that Justice League was underwhelming to say the least

I thought about a, "Conflicted Feelings," section. I was gonna cram Titans in there, but I noticed all I really wanted to do was put in series I wasn't really caring for and trying to self-justify buying them anyway so I cut that part out. I also wanted to put, "Most Downhill," and "Best Improved," sections, but I skipped out on those as well for simplicity sake. I was so damn close to putting Flash in my top 5, but I just couldn't this year. I struggled hard with it.

.the Iceman comics this year were a new level of cringe if you're referring to his stand alone

No, they weren't. Doesn't even matter if they were since, again, this isn't the place for that. I know I said I'd only give you one warning about this but I'm feeling the festive spirit and throw you one more. Next time you'll be visiting the GSD in the new year.

I thought about a, "Conflicted Feelings," section. I was gonna cram Titans in there, but I noticed all I really wanted to do was put in series I wasn't really caring for and trying to self-justify buying them anyway so I cut that part out. I also wanted to put, "Most Downhill," and "Best Improved," sections, but I skipped out on those as well for simplicity sake. I was so damn close to putting Flash in my top 5, but I just couldn't this year. I struggled hard with it.

I thought about a, "Conflicted Feelings," section. I was gonna cram Titans in there, but I noticed all I really wanted to do was put in series I wasn't really caring for and trying to self-justify buying them anyway so I cut that part out. I also wanted to put, "Most Downhill," and "Best Improved," sections, but I skipped out on those as well for simplicity sake. I was so damn close to putting Flash in my top 5, but I just couldn't this year. I struggled hard with it.

Difference between adding and just putting out crap posts.

I still need to read the rest of Titans, only got through the first few issues. Seemed promising at the beginning. Lucifer started off decent too though, but it ended up creating more loose ends than it tied up

Flash should pick up again with Flash Wars starting next month. Been looking forward to it